Jalyx Hunt, Philadelphia Eagles outside linebacker and Super Bowl champion, delivered his “Last Lecture” filled with laughs from the crowd and lessons from his personal journey to the NFL in front of a 250-person crowd adorned with Eagles jerseys and team gear in Baker Laboratory 200.
During his lecture, Hunt reflected on his collegiate career, mental health and answered some of the crowd’s questions. He brought with him Rachel Booth, his publicist and long-time friend who he met at Cornell, Javon Solomon, his good friend and outside linebacker for the Buffalo Bills and his Super Bowl ring, a shiny reminder of his success.
Hunt began the lecture by discussing his family and upbringing — his father, a physician’s assistant, who he credits as his “biggest fan,” and his mother, who is a teacher. He explained that education was a “point of emphasis” in his family which caused him to “stumble upon the opportunity” to play Division I football at Cornell, making him the first person in his family to attend an Ivy League school.
“We all are high achievers,” Hunt said. “You wouldn't be at an Ivy League institution if you were not a high achiever. So with that comes a lot of pressure. And so I'll give you a little run through [of] what was happening in my mind: this is going to be my family's way out.”
Hunt said that the pressure “weighed” on his brain given that he wasn’t achieving his goals at the time on the football field or in the classroom. Throughout his time at Cornell, Hunt noted his struggle academically. He was also diagnosed with Seasonal Affective Disorder, a type of depression related to changes in seasons. By the end of his junior year, Hunt decided to transfer.
“When I went home, I was lost for a while,” Hunt said. “The right plan just fell. I’m not even playing football no more. … So I was in the [transfer] portal for a long time with a small school called Houston Christian … one of the coaches called me and said, ‘hey, we'd love to have you here, but there's some things you have to do.’”
Hunt needed to improve his GPA to maintain NCAA eligibility to play football at Houston Christian University. He stated that he needed to pass 27 credits from May to August and attended three colleges simultaneously to achieve the goal.
Reflecting on that period, Hunt said his perspective on failure shifted.
“I already failed in front of everyone,” Hunt said. “So what is failing again? I know what I can do after this. I know what I’ve done to get to this point after failing. So what is another failure?”
Hunt transitioned to a new position, school and committed to a routine defined by consistency rather than motivation. Despite limited exposure at a small school and a losing record, he declared for the NFL Draft, and ultimately began his career with the Eagles in the NFL in 2024.
“Discipline is what makes you get out of bed when you don't want to,” Hunt explained. “Discipline is, I don't want to do this, but I know there's a goal I have in mind, and regardless of how I feel about it, I need to do it, and that's something that I've carried and learned really through this process.”
Following his first Super Bowl win in 2025, Hunt described feeling “empty” and opened up about his struggle with his mental health. He described attending therapy and continuing to feel “the exact same pressure” as the students in the crowd. Hunt discussed losing his close friend, Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland, to suicide.
“If you're feeling down mentally — whatever the case may be — it's okay to feel like that. It's very normal. You don't have to beat yourself up. You're not alone, and please lean on somebody,” Hunt said.
To close his remarks, Hunt left the crowd with four pieces of advice.
“Trust yourself through the transitions,” Hunt said at the conclusion of the lecture portion of the event. “Stay resilient. Lean on your people, please. And your path can change, but your goal can stay the same, and I think I'm a great example of that.”
Following the end of his lecture, Hunt fielded several questions ranging from his favorite anime to how to manage an NFL career.
To close the event, Last Lecture donated a fundraised $580 to a charity of Hunt’s choice, The Defensive Line, which focuses on youth mental health.
Jalyx Hunt smiling and pointing to the $580 check to The Defensive Line, an organization whose goal is to preventing youth suicide.
“Usually with Last Lecture we try to gift the person something and we were really stewing over what to give him,” said Abbey Robinson ’26, who works with Last Lecture. “Jalyx was really clear he didn’t want any speaker fees so we were thinking he is so active with giving back.”
Hunt also stayed for over two hours after the lecture ended, taking photos with fans and signing autographs.
Jalyx Hunt signing the back of his own jersey on the Cornell student, Abbey Robinson ’26, who introduced his Last Lecture.
For Booth, it was “a full circle moment” to watch her long-time friend give Last Lecture.
“I was sometimes picking him up and taking him to class so to watch him transform into who he is today has been nothing short of incredible,” Booth said. “I am so proud of him and I think anyone from any background could learn something from his talk today.”
Hunt told The Sun after the event ended that for him, it was about “humility” and being in a position to “show people that you are the same [as them].”
“Today it was so cool and an honor to do that with people who have gone through a similar experience as myself,” Hunt told The Sun. “I hope they took away that it's okay for the plan not to be exactly how you planned it out, because it's still possible for you to achieve what you set out to do.”
Zeinab Faraj is a member of the Class of 2028 in the College of Arts and Sciences and a senior editor on the 144th Editorial Board. She was a features editor and assistant sports editor on the 143rd Editorial Board and can be reached at zfaraj@cornellsun.com.
